Clove News

WEDNESDAY, June 22, 2016 – Americans spend a good chunk of their health care dollars on alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, yoga, chiropractic care and natural supplements, a new government report shows. In fact, they paid more than $30 billion out of pocket in 2012 on chiropractors and other complementary health practitioners, as well as supplements and other forms of alternative medicine. "Substantial numbers of Americans spent billions of dollars out-of-pocket on these approaches – an indication that users believe enough in the value of these approaches to pay for them," said study co-author Richard Nahin. He is lead epidemiologist at the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Expenditures in 2012 included: $14.7 billion out-of-pocket on visits to complementary practitioners such as chiropractors, yoga instructors, acupuncturists or massage ... Read more

FRIDAY, May 13, 2016 – Children are increasingly at risk from essential oils that are often used in natural remedies, a Tennessee poison center reports. Between 2011 and 2015, reports of toxic exposures to these oils – such as tea tree oil – doubled, the center said. Even more alarming, four out of every five cases were in children. The oils, which are derived from plants and used in aromatic and homeopathic products, can cause harm when consumed. And children face a heightened risk from exposure, the experts said. "The rule of thumb in toxicology is 'the dose makes the poison,' so all essential oils are potentially harmful," said Dr. Justin Loden, a certified specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Tennessee Poison Center. "In children, poisoning typically occurs when they try to swallow the oil, but choke so that a little of it goes into the lungs, which causes ... Read more

THURSDAY, Oct. 15, 2015 – You may be putting your health at risk if you use imported products such as dietary supplements or nonprescription drugs that are sold at ethnic or international stores, flea markets, swap meets or online. So says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in a warning issued Thursday. Health product scammers often focus their marketing on people who shop at nontraditional locations. They also target consumers with limited English language skills and poor access to health care services, according to Cariny Nunez, a public health adviser in the FDA's Office of Minority Health. "These scammers know that ethnic groups who may not speak or read English well, or who hold certain cultural beliefs, can be easy targets," she said in an FDA news release. Many health product scammers also include the word "natural" on their products because they know it appeals to certain ... Read more

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14, 2015 – Side effects from dietary supplements send more than 20,000 Americans to the emergency room each year, a new government study reveals. One expert said the report – published Oct. 15 in the New England Journal of Medicine – should quash arguments that herbal products, amino acids and other supplements are uniformly "safe" and need no tighter regulation. "This is the most important study done on dietary supplements since DSHEA was passed," said Dr. Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School who studies supplement safety. Cohen was referring to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, a 1994 law that defined supplements as food rather than drugs. The upshot is that manufacturers do not have to prove their products have benefits, or are even safe. Over the years, there have been recalls of certain supplements found to cause harm, ... Read more

FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2015 – Many elderly cancer patients use alternative medicines, including some that could interfere with their treatment, a new study shows. Even though alternative medicines are marketed as "natural," many contain active ingredients that can react with other therapies, the researchers explained. The study authors also found that many of these patients don't tell their doctors they are using complementary or alternative medicines (CAMs). "Currently, few oncologists are aware of the alternative medicines their patients take," study author Ginah Nightingale, an assistant professor at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, said in a university news release. "Patients often fail to disclose the CAMs they take because they think they are safe, natural, non-toxic and not relevant to their cancer care, because they think their doctor will disapprove, or because the ... Read more

SATURDAY, June 13, 2015 – Consumption of chamomile may be linked to a longer lifespan for older Mexican-American women, new research suggests. The study, funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, found that among Mexican-American women who consumed chamomile, the risk of death during the study period was reduced by about 28 percent. "Drinking chamomile tea is beneficial to the health of Mexican-American women," said the study's lead author, Bret Howrey, assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. However, the study only showed evidence of a possible link between chamomile and longer lifespan. It didn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship. And at least one nutritionist questioned the validity of the study's findings. The herb chamomile is a mainstay of alternative medicine, and practitioners often recommend it to treat ... Read more

-- Keeping yourself healthier has benefits that extend to the entire family. The American Council on Exercise recommends: Eat a healthy, balanced diet, drink plenty of water and find time to exercise regularly. Take some time for yourself each day. Schedule regular date nights to reconnect with your partner. Make time to visit with friends and enjoy time outside of being a mom. Make sure you laugh every day! Treat yourself to a massage to help release hormones that boost mood. Keep a daily journal that includes things you are thankful for. Read more

FRIDAY, July 26 – About half of patients take herbal and other supplements before undergoing cosmetic facial plastic surgery, according to a new study. Many of these supplements can put patients at risk during surgery and they should stop taking them at least two weeks before their procedure, Dr. Bahman Guyuron and colleagues at Case Western Reserve University advised. The investigators examined the medication lists of 200 patients scheduled for cosmetic facial plastic surgery – such as a facelift or nose job – and found that 49 percent of the patients were taking at least one type of supplement. Overall, the patients were taking 53 different types of supplements. The average number of supplements was nearly three per patient, but one patient was taking 28 different supplements, according to the study in the July issue of the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Older patients ... Read more

WEDNESDAY, April 25 – Aromatherapy is beginning to enter the medical mainstream, with groups as diverse as the American Cancer Society and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs touting the use of fragrance as a therapy that can complement traditional health care. There's little evidence to suggest that aromatherapy can directly cure illness, but research has found it can help reduce a wide range of symptoms and side effects in some people. "Many specific ailments can benefit from aromatherapy blends and treatments," said Monika Meulman, president of the Canadian Federation of Aromatherapists. "For example, insomnia, nausea, headaches and migraines, and aches and pains are often improved with aromatherapy – just to name a few." Aromatherapy involves the use of what are called essential oils, which are very potent distillations of the fragrant portions of plant life such as flowers, ... Read more

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 11 – There is little evidence to support the widespread use of herbal medicines to relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis, according to a review of these products. Osteoarthritis is a painful condition that involves damage to cartilage and other structures in and around the joints, particularly the fingers, knees and hips. It differs from rheumatoid arthritis, which is an immune-based disorder. Devil's claw, cat's claw, ginger, nettle, rosehip, turmeric, willow bark, Indian frankincense and vegetable extracts of avocado or soybean oils are all among the herbal medicines traditionally used to treat osteoarthritis. "Unfortunately, a large number of people suffer from osteoarthritis pain," said one expert, Dr. Robert Graham, an internist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "Current pharmacological management is largely focused upon reduction of pain and of ... Read more

THURSDAY, April 8 – Medical personnel tend to think that people in general – themselves included – are poorly informed about herbal medicines and that their patients' faith in the power of such remedies is misplaced, according to a new survey. The survey was conducted online among 164 subscribers to the journal Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, which published the results online April 8. More than 80 percent of the respondents were doctors, mostly family physicians, and most of the other respondents were pharmacists. More than 85 percent of the survey participants indicated that they believe the public is poorly informed about herbal medicines. None considered the public to be well informed. However, 75 percent said that doctors also are poorly informed on the subject, with 22 percent indicating that doctors are "moderately well informed." Nearly half (48 percent) of the respondents ... Read more

MONDAY, Feb. 1 – The growing number of Americans who are taking traditional herbal medications for heart problems are unaware of the dangers those treatments pose, a new report says. "They may be safe," said Dr. Arshad Jahangir, a consultant cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, and author of a report in the Feb. 9 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. "But in the United States, where patients often take multiple medications, there is a potential for harm." While up-to-date statistics aren't available, it appears that more than 15 million Americans are using herbal remedies and the number is growing, Jahangir said. "Consumers of these products think they are not getting proper attention from their physicians," he said. "The typical hands-on communication between physician and patient is getting compromised, and they are seeking that type of relationship." ... Read more